By Rick Platt
Williamsburg, VA
March 26, 2011
For the Washington Running Report

Performances by Jennifer Quarles, Ann Manciagli, Ann Hirn, and Ken Mitchell highlighted the action at the 16th annual Housing Partnerships Run for Shelter 5K. The race was held for the second year on a very flat and fast loop course through the First Colony neighborhood. It is the second Colonial Road Runners Grand Prix race of 2011.

In a mild upset, Williamsburg’s Quarles beat Karen Terry of Newport News by 11 seconds, just two weeks after Terry had won the Jamestown Swamp Run 5K over Quarles, 19:36 to 19:40. Last year Terry won easily over Quarles at the Crapolfest 5K, 19:01 to 19:42, and Terry then improved to a CRR best of 18:56 at Governor’s Land in November

Quarles, 39, is a six-time CRR Grand Prix champion, and has had similar yearly bests the past three years—19:09 in 2008, 18:50 in 2009 and a 19:03 in 2010. That she is down to 19:09 already for 2011 bodes well for the year, where her goals include the Run for the Dream Half Marathon in May and a sub-19-minute 5K. At First Colony, Quarles and Terry ran side-by-side for the opening mile, a 6:14, when Quarles pulled ahead slightly. The second mile was a 6:13 for Quarles and she kicked in to extend the margin, winning in 19:09. Terry was second in 19:20, while Elizabeth Ransom, 38, of Toano broke 20 minutes for the first time in years with a 19:52. Quarles was just short of her own First Colony course record of 19:03, set in 2010, her fastest time last year.

Terry was one of five women who broke age group records at First Colony, her 19:20 a minute faster than the previous 20-24 mark. Also breaking records were Thea Ganoe of Hampton (24:20 for women 50-54), Ann Hirn of Portsmouth (24:57 for women 65-69), Pauline Ely of Hampton (34:42 for women 70-74) and Ann Manciagli of Williamsburg (35:25 for women 75& older). Manciagli’s time was also the all-time CRR record for women 75 & older, the previous mark was her 37:53 at the 2011 Jamestown Swamp Run.

Manciagli moved to Williamsburg with her husband in 1994, but had never run or been particularly athletic except for aerobics classes. In 2000 she decided to run the Cheatham Lake 6K at Cheatham Annex. She joined the CRR in 2002, at age 66, and said “I was hooked on the sport from the very first race.” Her fastest time running came in 2003 with a 31:29, but she then moved to the racewalking division, placing second in the CRR Grand Prix walk in 2008 (best time of 37:10), then first in the Grand Prix walk in 2009 (best time of 38:15). Last year Manciagli got down to another 37:10 in the walk, before switching back to running in October, running 35:39 at William and Mary Homecoming and 35:54 at Governor’s Land, both at age 74. Her 75th birthday in February allows her the opportunity to break all of the CRR records for that age group, starting with Jamestown. As with Quarles, her goal race is the Run for the Dream Half Marathon.

For the men at First Colony, the top three overall were Todd Kessler, 28, of Newport News (17:19), Daniel Shaye, 42, of Williamsburg (18:21), and Gregory Adams, 33, of Fort Eustis (19:06). The strongest age group of the day was the men’s 55-59, with Jim Goggin (19:32), Will Murray (19:55) and Wyatt Cutchins (20:12) fourth, fifth, and sixth overall for the men, although an impressive four women placed in the top ten overall combined (Connie Glueck, 46, of Williamsburg was fourth for the women, and 10th overall in an impressive 20:40).

The best men’s age-graded performance, however, was by Ken Mitchell, 66, of Williamsburg, whose 20:52 was a PR (his first time under the 21-minute barrier). Mitchell also age-graded a lifetime best of a national class. 80.6%,.

In the race walk, Rich Higgins (31:32) won ahead of Jeff Fry (32:50) for the men, while Kelly Crumpler (36:46) beat Sylvia Garcia (37:31) for the women.